


We Sure Know How to Run

by winterwaters



Category: The 100 (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/M, Fluff, Friendship, Future Fic, Hurt/Comfort, Reunion Fic, basically yet another way to get these two fools back in the same space, minor drama
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-05-03
Updated: 2015-05-03
Packaged: 2018-03-28 18:22:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,980
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3865033
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/winterwaters/pseuds/winterwaters
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>While attempting to get Jaha farther from the AI and the nuclear warhead, Clarke, Murphy and Emori run into trouble from another tribe and Clarke is injured. Bellamy and his group happen to be following that tribe and help take care of her. On the way home, she confronts her feelings for Bellamy - with a bit of help from Emori.</p>
            </blockquote>





	We Sure Know How to Run

**Author's Note:**

> Okay, so this story stemmed from two things: (1) I wanted Clarke and Emori to be friends and (2) I mostly just need Bellamy and Clarke to be required to stick together for a period of time. There's something of a plot in the background with Jaha, but it's not nearly as complex as what I'm sure the show will come up with. Also, this sort of dives in headfirst so hope it's not confusing. Title comes from Team by Lorde. Hope you enjoy!

Clarke felt like she was floating outside of her body. 

One moment, she was watching almost in slow-motion as her old Chancellor raised the staff over Emori, who lay crumpled at his feet. Murphy was running, _charging,_ towards them, but he was too far, and he was out of ammo. He was yelling, a deranged look in his eyes that was somehow so different from the maniacal glint she was used to.

This wasn’t the look someone got when they were planning something; this was the look someone got when they thought they were about to lose everything.

In the next moment, she was back to herself, and everything sped up. Her finger was on the trigger of her own gun, and there was no hesitation in her mind. She fired twice, both bullets entering Jaha’s left leg. He hit the ground hard, face twisted in pain. The staff was well out of his reach as he writhed on the ground.

She knew she’d done the right thing when she saw Murphy fall to his knees next to Emori, gathering her into his arms in such a careful manner that she’d never have expected to see from him. The girl was breathing harshly, a dark bruise emerging over her cheekbone and blood soaking through her thigh, but she was alive. Her gaze latched onto Clarke. The gratefulness lasted only seconds before turning to horror, and when Murphy looked up to follow her line of sight his eyes widened even as he raised an arm to point.

_“Clarke, run!”_

She didn’t even have time to turn before a vicious blow to her head sent her to the ground, and the stinging pain that seared her ankle after that was enough to make her welcome the blackness.

~~~~~~~~

Someone was screaming when she woke. Clarke struggled fiercely against whatever was holding her down - _what could possibly be that strong?_ \- before a firm hand clamped down over her mouth, and the screaming stopped. 

“Clarke,” the voice in her ear was as familiar as the rough fingers that were currently pressed to her lips, and it was that realization that made the tears begin. “Just hang on, alright?” The voice continued, urgent but quiet, his mouth brushing the shell of her ear like he knew she needed the contact. His other hand came up to wipe the wetness off her cheeks.

“I’m gonna have to do it one more time,” came another sharp voice, female, and this one she knew too. Belatedly, she realized it had been her voice that had echoed so loudly in the air. But she still didn’t open her eyes. 

Clarke shifted her body away from the light behind her eyes, towards the darkness that was his lap, feeling his arms tighten around her. “Do it,” he muttered roughly.

Fire shot up her leg, the pain so instant and blinding that she bit his palm in an effort to stay silent. He crooned softly into her ear, and she couldn’t even focus on his words so she just hung onto his voice like a lifeline, crying into the inky black leather of his jacket until the pain finally overwhelmed her once more.

The next time she was roused into awareness, it was dark. Blissfully so. She could tell that even without opening her eyes. She was still encased in a familiar strong hold. The pain in her leg was dull, but she figured it was good that she could still feel it; it meant her leg was still there. 

Gentle fingers combed through her hair, and a sigh rushed past her lips. The hand paused.

“Clarke?”

Ever so slowly, she cracked one eye open, then the other. The night sky was dotted with stars, but all she could focus on was the broad silhouette outlined in the darkness. Unruly curls hung over his forehead, framing those worried dark eyes she knew all too well.

“Bellamy,” she breathed, and his face eased a little as he leaned down. 

“Hey,” he murmured. “You scared me to death, you know that?” His forehead rested against hers. “What do I have to do to keep you out of trouble, princess?”

Clarke couldn’t help the tiny laugh that escaped. “Haven’t heard that in a while.” She raised shaking fingers to trace the outline of his face, ending up caressing every angle until he clasped her wrist. “It’s really you.” She hadn’t meant for it to come out sounding so much like a question.

As usual, Bellamy seemed to understand. “In the flesh.” He finally smiled, a slight pull of his mouth at the corner, and the sight made her happier than she could handle. With a strangled little laugh, she leaned up as best she could and wound her arms around his neck, pulling him down in an awkward hug. He didn’t seem to mind one bit, simply sliding his own arms behind her to hold her more securely.

It was only when she tried to sit up, wanting to get closer, that her leg protested. A tiny whimper flew past her teeth at the bolt of pain. Bellamy drew back instantly, cradling her face. “What is it? Did I-”

“No!” Clarke shook her head a little too vigorously, then flushed and motioned to her leg. “I just… I can’t move it very well.”

“You shouldn’t be moving it at all,” he scolded, and the fear that entered his voice then was very real. “Do you remember anything, Clarke?” 

“I- I remember…” she struggled, then panicked. “Oh god, Emori! Is she-”

“She’s fine.” Bellamy’s hand pressed into her shoulder, warning her not to even try getting up. She still craned her neck, trying to see past him in the darkness. “I promise, Clarke, she’s fine," he said again. "Murphy’s with her, in the tent. O patched her up.”

Clarke released a thankful breath and let her head rest back atop his legs. “And Jaha?”

His jaw tightened. “Lincoln and Miller are switching off. We had to sedate him, he wouldn’t stop shouting, saying all this weird stuff…” Bellamy shook his head like he could clear the memory. “Anyways, he’s out. For now.” 

“But he’s alive?” She pressed. “I didn’t kill him?”

Now he understood the root of her concern. “No, Clarke,” he brushed back her hair, his voice soft. “You didn’t kill him. But you saved Emori’s life.”

She swallowed. “I didn’t want to hurt him. But he… he was…”

“I know. It’s alright. You did good, Clarke.” Bellamy’s eyes became clouded. “Do you remember anything else?”

“No, just… just Murphy, telling me to run.” Her brows drew together as she tried to push past that, but there was nothing. “After that, all I remember was my leg felt like it was burning, and then…” she lightly grazed her knuckles along his jaw, “then you were there,” she said in wonder.

Bellamy turned his head so that his lips touched her fingertips for a brief second. “I’m here,” he agreed, and she heard what he didn’t say out loud. _I’m staying._ She smiled, weaving their fingers together. He stared at their interlocked hands for a long moment, then gripped a little tighter. “You really scared me,” he said again. “It was an ambush, some nearby tribe that heard Jaha’s ranting. If we hadn’t been following them…”

He exhaled heavily, refusing to finish the thought. Clarke squeezed his fingers. “Why _were_ you following them?” She asked. “What are you doing all the way out here?”

“We… we were following a lead. Ran into some who mentioned a crazed man wandering around talking about the end of the world. I didn’t know what to think at first, until one guy… he mentioned seeing a blonde as well.” A corner of his mouth curled up. “After that I didn’t really have a choice but to follow.”

Clarke smiled back. “It must have been the villages we passed. We were trying to keep him quiet, but sometimes he got out of hand. As you saw.”

He nodded tightly. “Anyways. The group we were following, they were headed for Jaha. But your gun freaked them out. One of them got your ankle from behind. Sliced right through the muscle. O patched you up pretty tight, but she had to clean it first, and that was when you woke up, I think.”

“Shit. No wonder.” Clarke looked up weakily, trying to see her feet. Cloth strips bound her right ankle from mid-calf to mid-sole, heavy and tight for stability. Her boot had been flung off to the side. “Guess I won’t be doing any walking for a while, huh?”

“Damn right you won’t be.” Though Bellamy’s voice was hard, his eyes crinkled. “You’re stuck with me whether you like it or not, princess.”

Sighing, Clarke bit down her smile. “I suppose I can live with that.” Between his low chuckle and the way his fingers resumed carding through her hair, it wasn’t long before she was lulled into sleep once more.

~~~~~~~~

“We can’t stay here for much longer. It’s not safe.”

Octavia’s firm statement was the first thing Clarke heard. She still hadn’t moved from her position the night before, meaning neither had Bellamy. Had he gotten any rest at all? As if he could hear her mind waking up, his hand faltered slightly on her forehead. “I know that,” he finally said. “But is she stable enough to move? And what do we do with Jaha?”

“He won’t go quietly.” That was Murphy, his warning laced with anger. “The farther he gets from that crazy lady, or whatever she is, the worse it gets.”

“Yeah, what the hell is that about? Is she even real?” Octavia asked.

“She is real only to him,” Emori said, and her steady voice sent a wave of relief through Clarke. “But that is enough to make him act unlike himself.”

As if he’d heard her, Jaha’s wordless call split the air a second later. Clarke opened her eyes, finding everyone but Bellamy turned towards the sound. “Hey,” he said softly.

“Hi. Did you sleep? You look exhausted.” 

He grinned faintly. “There you go again, always worrying about everyone else.”

She stuck out her tongue. By that point, the others had noticed she was awake, so she tabled the argument for later. Emori scooted over, slightly dragging her leg. A bandage surrounded her right thigh, clean aside from few faint spots of dried blood. The shiner under her eye had taken on a darkish purple hue. Her right hand was carefully concealed, as always, but even if anyone noticed, they weren’t saying anything. Clarke wouldn’t be the one to point it out; that was Emori’s story to tell if she wanted to.

She reached out to clasp her other hand. “Hey. How are you feeling?”

Emori raised an eyebrow. “Alive,” she replied dryly. “Because of you,” she added. Tapping Clarke’s uninjured knee, she smiled. “Now we match.”

Clarke looked between the wrap on her right ankle to the wrap on her friend’s thigh, and laughed softly. “I guess we do, don’t we?”

“If you wanted to match that badly I could’ve just given you my head scarf, y’know.”

She looked up in surprise at Murphy, who sat by her feet. He wasn’t smiling, but then, he never really did nowadays, unless it was directed at Emori. So she only nodded and replied, “I’ll keep that in mind next time.”

He snorted, but she didn’t miss the way his eyes softened when they flickered to the girl beside her, and that was really all that mattered.

She looked up at Bellamy, who’d taken in everything with a curious glance. “I want to sit up.”

Bellamy curled an arm behind her back as Emori took her arm. Octavia put a hand on her knee to steady her legs from any hasty movements. Carefully, she eased into a seated position. Bellamy kept his arm around her, as if worried she might topple over again. She knew she wouldn’t, but she didn’t really want him to let go, either. 

Glancing over at Octavia, she hesitantly reached out to touch her shoulder. “Thank you,” she said, as genuinely as she could. To her surprise, the other girl grabbed her in a swift hug.

“You have to stop almost dying,” Octavia replied. “I don’t think my big brother can take any more heart attacks.”

The statement made her blush furiously, and suddenly she couldn’t quite look at Bellamy. Trying to move on from how her heart was thumping, she blatantly switched topics. “Who’s with Jaha right now?”

Emori wore something suspiciously close to a smirk, but it was Octavia who answered. “Lincoln. Miller traded at the guard post. He’s trying to keep him down without the sedatives for a bit. We need to ration if they’re going to last the trip home.”

 _Home._ Clarke didn’t really know what to do with the word, how it simultaneously filled her with nerves and hope and fear and love.

When Bellamy’s fingers dug into her arm, she looked up to find the others watching her silently, partly in question. Bellamy’s face was carefully blank, though his dark eyes couldn’t hide the worry - or the longing. Her breath hitched. She wondered if he could see it reflected back in her expression.

Octavia’s cough made her jump. “I asked if you’re coming with us,” she said pointedly. “Though I guess I’ve already got my answer.”

Clarke reddened more quickly than she’d ever thought possible. “I might slow you guys down,” she said weakly, gesturing to her leg.

Murphy snickered. “There’s a first time for everything I guess.” Beside him, Emori rolled her eyes. 

“I would offer my cart,” Emori said, “but that is in pieces at the moment. Unless you Sky People think you can fix it?”

“You never know,” Octavia declared, standing up briskly. “Let’s see the damage.” Murphy helped Emori to her feet, draping her arm over his shoulder. They took a few slow steps with him hunched over before he gave up entirely and just lifted her into his arms. Clarke grinned, peeking up at Bellamy, whose eyebrows lifted nearly off his head.

“First time for everything,” he repeated, and she laughed.

~~~~~~~~

They didn’t dally much longer. The cart was, unfortunately, beyond repair, but Emori seemed alright with that. “It does not feel right for it to work if my brother is not here to use it,” she later confided to Clarke.

Miller and Lincoln had managed to bind Jaha’s hands together with a length of rope, each marching behind him to make sure he didn’t try anything funny. The older man seemed to be in a daze, muttering to himself as he walked, his eyes glazed over.

Octavia lead the way, followed by a not-smiling Murphy, who carried Emori in his arms. Clarke saw the group approach and took a deep breath. Bellamy shifted and began to stand, helping her up slowly. She had only two seconds to hop on her good foot before she was lifted off her feet. A tiny shriek left her mouth. 

Bellamy was chuckling as she clutched his jacket for dear life. “I didn’t even know your voice was capable of that,” he grinned.

“Give me some kind of warning!” She berated, trying desperately not to smile herself. “Besides, are you insane? You can’t carry me the whole way!”

Bellamy smirked. “Watch me.” She had the sudden crazy urge to kiss that smug smile right off his mouth. As if he’d heard her thoughts, his eyes darted to her lips for a brief second. Slowly, Clarke moved one hand to splay on the side of his neck. They were close enough that she could have counted his freckles - though at the moment, her brain had another priority.

“You guys ready?” 

The shout echoed loudly, making her squeak and cling to Bellamy as his grip slackened, then immediately tightened. He turned a murderous glare onto whoever had spoken; she didn’t know, because her face was buried in his jacket, burning with a flush that extended down to her toes. 

He didn’t seem to have any trouble walking with her in his arms, only halting occasionally to adjust his grip or ask if she was okay. The third time he asked her as much, she was nearly asleep, having found that he was an incredibly comfy pillow. _Wonderful,_ she thought to herself, then felt a vibration in his chest that emerged in a tiny chuckle seconds later.

Oops.

~~~~~~~~

The dream hit without warning. She was back in that moment as Jaha raised his staff - but this time her shots went wide. She could only scream helplessly, her feet glued to the ground. When the tribe rushed out to attack, they wore the faces of those she'd left behind in Mount Weather.

Clarke jerked awake with a small gasp, her fingers closing on Bellamy's jacket, heart in her throat as she tried to get her bearings. The rocking motion that had lulled her to sleep so easily before now just felt nauseating.

"Hey, it's okay." Bellamy's hand soothed over her hair, his voice low and steady at her ear. "You're alright, Clarke."

Her breaths came ragged, the occasional tear dripping off her chin and onto Bellamy's neck as she tried to focus on him, remind herself that he was real. "Wasn't me I was worried about," she finally mumbled.

Bellamy's hand paused. "Guys," he yelled ahead. "Let's take a break." Without pausing, he turned and strode off a ways, winding between the trees until he could settle on a log, keeping her in his lap. Then he'd tilted his face downwards until it was in front of hers, their noses brushing. 

"Tell me," he requested. 

"I just... I thought you..." She halted, trying to explain. "I was convinced I'd imagined all of yesterday. That I missed my shot and Jaha... And then the tribe that came after us... their faces weren't theirs. It was... all those women and kids..." She hiccuped and couldn't form any more words.

"Sshhh, shh, okay," Bellamy murmured and pressed his lips to her forehead, rubbing circles over her back. "Breathe, Clarke. Breathe with me, come on. In and out. In, and out." She took deep gulps of air, her eyes trained on him, hand clasped in his. "That's it," he encouraged. "Good. Keep going."

She took one breath after another, finding only terrible understanding in his gaze, and she finally heard what he'd been trying to tell her all along. _You're not alone._

"Bellamy." She tipped forward until her arms wrapped around him, head resting on his shoulder again. "I'm sorry I left."

He returned her hold just as tightly with a soft sigh. "It was what you needed," he answered.

"I thought it was what everyone needed," she said, swallowing thickly.

He chuckled. "Of course you did. Selfless to the end." After a moment, he asked, "Do you still dream a lot?"

"Not as much. It used to be worse... now, it comes and goes." Clarke pulled back to see his face. "What about you?"

"Same. It's rough, but..." he shrugged. "You learn to deal." 

Without thinking, she whispered, "I'm sorry I left you to deal with it alone."

Bellamy shook his head. "Stop apologizing, Clarke. We do what we have to to survive." His knuckles grazed her cheek before a sly grin broke out on his face. "Besides, I knew you couldn't stay away from me forever."

Despite herself, she grinned back.

~~~~~~~~

On the third night, she sat up by the dying embers of the fire, her mind too restless to sleep. Bellamy was stretched out by her side, passed out. She knew he was tired from carrying her during the day, though he refused to admit to it. Shaking her head, she softly ran her fingers through his hair and along the back of his neck. He was a stubborn fool.

Though, more and more she’d begun hoping he was _her_ stubborn fool.

“He is all the things you said he was.” 

Clarke jumped and twisted to find Emori standing just a few feet away. She rolled her eyes. “You’re too quiet for your own good,” she muttered. Emori only grinned knowingly and settled next to her with a sigh, stretching out her legs. 

“Did you not say he was strong of heart and mind? That he was an intelligent leader who cared more for his people than anyone ever could?”

Her friend had a particularly good memory, one that she was currently cursing. Clarke chewed her lip. “He’s also headstrong to a fault. Pretending like his neck isn’t sore or his arms aren’t aching. He tries to discreetly stretch when we take breaks, but it's not enough. And yet he insists. Idiot.” As if to press her point, the pads of her fingers dug into the knots she found at the base of his neck.

“Love has a way of doing that,” Emori replied quietly.

She shook her head, opening her mouth to protest. Except, the words stalled in her throat, unwilling to go any further. What was love, if it wasn’t this? Did she even want to know? After a full minute, she finally closed her jaw.

“Clarke.” The other girl waited until she looked up. “Most of us do not have the good fortune of returning to our families. But you do. Embrace that.” Her expression turned somewhat sly. “Embrace _him._ ”

Emori chuckled when Clarke elbowed her with pink cheeks, glancing quickly at Bellamy to make sure he was still asleep.

Then Emori asked, “When we first met, do you remember what I told you about my brother?” She stared into the glowing red and gold of the dying fire, silent. Emori’s hand covered hers. _“I hold him in my dreams, because they are all I have left._ And you answered-”

“So do I,” Clarke finished, finally meeting her gaze.

Her friend nodded. “But we cannot live in our dreams forever, is that not what you said later?” She nudged her with a small smile. “Your dreams have come to life, Clarke. Do not run from them.”

She sighed ruefully and gave her hand a squeeze. “I won’t.” Her gaze wandered past the fire to where Murphy slept, and she decided to return the favor a little bit. “Murphy’s lucky to have you.”

Emori’s face took on a more tender expression. “And I him.” 

Clarke smiled and looked at Bellamy again. “And I him,” she repeated to herself.

~~~~~~~~

The next day, they had only been walking for an hour or so when Bellamy asked, “Did you do something to my neck last night?”

Clarke froze for a long moment, then raised slightly defiant eyes to meet his quizzical stare. “Why? Is it worse today?”

“No, not at all. It actually feels a lot better.”

“Oh. Well, good.” Because he looked amused now, she tried to explain. “You were rubbing your neck all throughout yesterday and it looked painful. Emori and I stayed up talking last night, so I figured I’d try to be somewhat useful.”

“Thank you. Really. It helped a lot.”

Clarke nodded and rested her head against his shoulder again, relaxing into his grip. It really wasn’t fair for this to be such a comfortable position, she thought, not for the first time.

“You and Emori seem to know each other well,” Bellamy remarked after a little while.

“We do,” she said simply. The tone of his voice made her think there was something he wasn’t saying. When she glanced upwards, she saw his gaze trained on the other girl’s wrapped arm. At once, she realized. “How long have you known?” She asked.

His eyes drifted back to her, curious but otherwise not holding judgment. As she’d expected. “She showed us first thing, while you were still knocked out. Apparently between you and Murphy she’s pretty confident Sky People can handle just about anything.” 

Clarke couldn’t help but grin at that. “She tried to use it to warn me off. Little did she know I’ve seen a lot worse. I told her that just proved how wrong she was to underestimate me.”

“Most people are,” he agreed with a fond smile. Her heart thudded, a little frantic. “Do you know what could have caused something like that?”

Her mind gratefully focused on answering that instead. “I can only guess that her mother was exposed to some kind of toxin while pregnant. It would have had to be prolonged to cause such a drastic change within the womb.”

“Well it certainly doesn’t seem to hinder her,” Bellamy said thoughtfully. 

“Not at all.” She studied a tear in his collar. “For a while it was just the two of us, traveling. I didn’t exactly have a destination in mind, and I wasn’t looking for company, but… we were able to help each other.” There had been such stark pain on Emori’s face when they first met that she’d instantly known they had one thing in common: loss.

“And Jaha?” Bellamy asked after a moment. “How did you even find him?”

“It wasn’t intentional. Emori was tracking Murphy, and Murphy was trying to get Jaha away from that… woman.” It was still difficult to know what to call her, after all this time. “I had no idea what to do, I just knew that I couldn’t- I couldn’t let him die there. I wanted to save him somehow.”

His arms tightened. “I know,” he murmured.

“She’s warped his mind, Bellamy. And I have no idea if we can fix it.”

To her surprise, he smiled wryly. “When has that stopped you before?” 

Clarke grinned back and laid her cheek on his shoulder. “I missed you,” she sighed.

His breath warmed her forehead for a moment, and she thought she felt his mouth briefly ghost over her skin. “Missed you too, Clarke.” After a few minutes, his voice lightened. “So before Emori, exactly how many people did you manage to win over?”

She chuckled. “More than I’d have expected. Oh! I know how to fish now,” she declared. “And how to make animal traps for the smaller creatures. You’d be surprised how many get caught per day. Emori’s incredible with her knives, too. You should see her fling them about. She hits every target.”

“Remind me not to get on her bad side,” he replied dryly. “So it was just the two of you for a while, huh?”

She nodded. “Weeks. She refused to cross the water, so we ended up following the land around instead. I was convinced there was no way across, but… I was wrong.” 

Bellamy lifted a curious eyebrow. “You sound awfully okay with that,” he teased. 

“Shut up.” Clarke poked him despite her smile. “It doesn’t bother me as much as it used to. And having Emori around helped. She doesn’t put too much stock in being right or wrong. Moreso in fighting for what you believe in.” 

“No wonder you two get along so well.” Bellamy’s soft smile caused a strange sensation in the pit of her stomach. If she didn’t know better, she’d have called it butterflies.

“Not at first. She hid the fact that she was searching for Murphy for a while.”

“They’re certainly something.” The admiration in his voice made her smile to herself.

“Yeah,” she chuckled. “She definitely won’t put up with his shit.”

Bellamy tapped her shoulder lightly. “Sounds familiar,” he grinned. She poked his chest again.

“Watch it, mister. I might have a bum leg but my arms work just fine.”

Unconcerned, he only laughed and adjusted his grip. In the process, his hand drifted to settle on her waist, his thumb and forefinger landing on the patch of skin where her shirt had ridden up. Twin lines of electricity seemed to originate from his fingertips and into her skin. Clarke bit down on her groan at the last second, resulting in a somewhat strangled sigh that she released against his shirt. Bellamy’s steps didn’t falter, and neither did his breathing, so she prayed that he somehow hadn’t noticed.

That theory was effectively shot down when, a minute later, Bellamy shifted his hand so that it lay entirely flat along her side, decidedly beneath her shirt. His thumb traced featherlight, maddening circles that made her bite down on her own coat collar to keep any sound from emerging. Though, she doubted he’d missed the white-knuckled grip she now had on him.

When she finally gathered up enough courage to peek through her lashes, her jaw dropped. Bellamy was full-on smirking in plain sight, not bothering to hide just how big his ego was at the moment. The cocky asshole. Her eyes narrowed. 

_Well, if we’re going to play…_

Wiggling slightly, she leaned forward and nuzzled her nose into the hollow of his neck, rewarded by his sharp intake of breath and the involuntary flex of his fingers over her skin. For good measure, she let her lips linger on the spot, too.

It was her turn to grin smugly as he gaped down at her, open-mouthed. Though, his shock transformed to delight more quickly than she’d expected, mingling with an awe that she didn’t quite understand. It made her confidence fade to shyness, her skin rapidly prickling with a blush.

“What?” She finally asked. 

Bellamy grinned, momentarily dazzling her. “You-”

Whatever he was about to say got cut off as his foot caught on an upturned tree root, nearly sending them both flying. 

Thankfully Miller managed to get there as they wobbled dangerously, yanking him upright while Clarke held on. Bellamy’s arms had closed like a vise around her, both apologetic and protective all at once. She kept her face hidden against his shirt for more than one reason, though she figured nobody but Bellamy needed to know that. 

“Sorry, sorry,” he breathed. To her satisfaction, he sounded more than a little dazed. His hand stroked over her hair. “You okay?”

“Fine,” she managed. Oh, god, her voice was far too high-pitched to be normal.

“Maybe we should take a break,” Miller suggested. Clarke felt Bellamy nod against her head, and the rest of the group slowed.

Bellamy situated her against a tree trunk, his hands lingering maybe a little extra longer than usual. Then he sat down beside her with a grateful sigh, his right side entirely flush against her left. That really, _really_ did not help with getting her breath back. Peeking up, she saw him rolling his shoulders again and grunted at his stubbornness.

“Come here.” She pulled him even closer, her hand floating along his shoulders until she found a particularly tense spot and worked through it. Any protest died on his lips in the form of a relieved hum. Clarke took that as a good sign and continued to knead the muscles, digging her thumbs into his skin. Bellamy drew his knees up and dropped his head atop them, giving in completely.

Octavia and Murphy soon came over, Emori limping between them. Reluctantly, Clarke began to withdraw her hand, but Bellamy reached out and linked his fingers with hers. “Thanks,” he murmured, and stretched his legs again, leaning back against the tree trunk. As Emori sat down, her eyes flitted between their hands and back to Clarke. There was a familiar gleam in her eye that made her glare back - not that it ever actually helped.

Jaha chose that moment to begin groaning, nonsensical words tumbling from his mouth and echoing in the air until Octavia finally stood with a huff and strode over to where Lincoln and Miller were struggling to hold him down. 

“He’s getting worse,” Murphy said. He watched the others through slitted eyes.

Clarke shook her head. “I thought the distance would help, you know? Like, the farther he got from her, the weaker the connection.”

“That place is toxic,” Emori replied. _”She_ is toxic. Getting him away from there was the right choice.”

“I suppose. But now what? He can’t just continue on like this forever.”

No one had an answer for that. In silence, they watched Octavia sedate him once more.

~~~~~~~~

That night, she was awake again as the others slept. But it was Bellamy who had her attention, like he had for most of the day. The firelight casting his face in a soft glow as he slept, deep breaths in and out, undisturbed and peaceful. All she wanted to do was curl up next to him and never let go.

Normally, she would have pushed away the urge, stretched out facing the opposite way and just tried to focus on something else until the thought had been cast so deep that even she couldn’t see it.

But as the fire crackled and spit, she decided that maybe she wanted to create a new normal for herself. 

So she inched closer, lining her body against his as she laid down, keeping the weight on her good leg. Not wanting to wake him, she was slow to lift his arm and tuck herself beneath it, easily fitting into the groove of his body. A soft sigh escaped without her permission. Bellamy murmured but didn’t wake. So she banded an arm around his waist and rested her head on his shoulder, letting her eyes drift shut. 

When she woke next, the sky was streaked with the first hints of light. Bellamy’s soft breath tickled her ear. Blearily, she lifted her head. Some time in the night they’d shifted so that she was on her back, and he was now curled around her, one arm still under her neck, the other over her stomach. Clarke laid there smiling like a fool until she felt his breathing shift, and then she turned her head to meet Bellamy’s sleepy eyes.

“Hey princess.” His voice was thick with sleep, but even then she could hear the smile in it. Then he blinked, his eyes flicking down to where his arm was thrown across her, how her good leg was currently trapped between both of his. His eyes widened and he began to pull back. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to, uh, I mean, it-”

Her hand covered his mouth, stopping his stammering. “You didn’t,” she said shyly. “I did.”

After a long moment of confusion, Bellamy suddenly brightened. _Really?_ His eyes asked. At her nod, he pried her fingers off, then proceeded to kiss each one lightly, a wide grin splitting his face.

Clarke laughed, giddy with relief, and when he finally let her hand go, she slid it up to play with the curls at the nape of his neck. Bellamy shifted the arm he had under her to loop around her waist, pulling her closer. Her eyes closed at the feeling of his warm breath fanning her cheek.

“Clarke,” he whispered, and he was _so close._ She trembled. His lips touched her forehead, then skated across her temple and down to the corner of her eye, brushed over her cheekbones, grazed the underside of her jaw in a way that made her fingers twist into his hair. She could feel him smiling at the newly discovered knowledge. 

Finally she opened her eyes just so she could narrow them at him. “Are you quite through?” She demanded, impatient.

Bellamy smiled, slow and sweet. “I’m just getting started.” Then, in the early light of dawn, he kissed her.

~~~~~~~~

After that, Bellamy found endless ways to distract her on their journey. Well - not so much distract as torture. It was really unfair, seeing as he was carrying her and therefore could put his hands _anywhere_ without having to worry about being dropped. Not that he _did_ put them just anywhere; she was highly amused to find him being such a gentleman about the whole thing. Though, his hands seemed happy enough to roam the expanse of her back. 

Clarke was distinctly embarrassed by the number of times she’d now bitten her own jacket. It basically had a set of teethmarks permanently embedded into it. She did her best to return the favor, though after her curious fingers had explored a little _too far_ one time, Bellamy had to insist she stopped before he tripped again and hurt them both.

The others hadn’t said anything, if they noticed what went on during the day. She was most concerned about Octavia. Though apparently, she needn’t have worried. The girl’s only reaction was to snort and raise an eyebrow when she saw them curled together the first night.

“Do me a favor and don’t make me watch it more than I have to,” she grunted.

To which Bellamy had immediately replied with a sloppy kiss to Clarke’s cheek that made her blush ferociously. But when Octavia only grinned and cuffed his head, she decided she could live with resembling a tomato if it meant she had his sister’s approval.

~~~~~~~~

They were only two days from camp, having stopped to give the others a break, when Jaha began to scream. Some invisible pain wracked his body from within, making him twitch violently on the ground as his limbs flailed without reason. Octavia couldn’t get close enough to sedate him without being struck in the process.

It took Clarke a few seconds to realize the thundering she heard wasn’t just her heart pounding. Jaha’s yells had attracted visitors.

“Guys!” She hissed. “We’re about to have company!”

Bellamy hauled her to her feet, letting her lean against him. Her foot was slowly becoming able to take pressure again, but not for long periods of time. Murphy and Emori stood next to them as Lincoln finally took out Jaha with a blow to the head. The sudden silence was almost eery. They formed a semi-circle around him just as the first person broke through the brush, a familiar scowl on her tattooed face.

“Indra,” Octavia breathed the name both in reverence and slight challenge, positioning herself in front of Lincoln.

Clarke suddenly knew what was coming next before it happened, but that didn’t make it any easier. When Lexa appeared from the trees, every muscle in her body stiffened, overtaken by the wave of resentment that swept through. As always, Lexa stood straight and towering, no hint of the fact that she was just a girl who’d grown up too fast. Octavia looked ready to snarl, regardless of Indra’s warning glance.

The shock on Lexa’s face had come and gone quickly, as did any emotion, but Clarke didn’t bother hiding her own. She lifted her chin in defiance, her fingers locked with Bellamy’s.

“Commander.” Her voice came out steady - a far cry from the rest of her feelings.

“Clarke.” Lexa inclined her head. “I was told you were long gone.”

She shrugged. “I was. I’m back now.” That was the only explanation she was going to get; the only thing she deserved, as far as Clarke was concerned.

There was a long, tense moment in which nobody spoke. Then Lexa briskly motioned to her guards, and their stances relaxed. “I would request a moment with the leader of Skaikru,” Lexa said.

Clarke allowed herself a tiny smirk before jerking her head towards Bellamy. “You’re looking at him.”

A smile played at Bellamy’s lips as he looked down at her in slight surprise. Then he released her hand, only to toss his arm over her shoulders, deceptively casual. “You’re looking at _them,”_ he corrected lightly. “Package deal, Commander.”

Awareness flashed through the other girl’s eyes. After a few seconds, she nodded in acquiescence. “I would still request your presence. I will not delay your travels for long.”

Clarke traded a glance with Bellamy. He was wary, but also a little curious. And perhaps a tad smug. He pointed to a spot nearby, well within sight of both groups, and slowly they limped over. He leaned her against the tree, pulling her weight off her leg and onto him. She allowed herself a grateful smile as Lexa approached. 

“The alliance of the twelve clans hangs by a thread,” the Commander said without preamble. “Before, the mountain was the common threat that united us. But now, clan disputes are beginning to take over. Every group wants something of their own.”

“What does this have to do with us?” Bellamy asked.

“Your Skaikru has been most impressive, and becomes more well-known by the day.” She glanced at Clarke. “Tales of your bravery have spread. After your takedown of the mountain, it is clear you would make a formidable addition to the clans.”

Uncomfortable, Clarke shifted and looked away. Those memories were her fuel now, but it didn’t mean the guilt didn’t rear its head all the same. Bellamy squeezed her shoulder. “You want _us_ to join the alliance?” He didn’t bother hiding his skepticism. “After what happened, you think we’d ever trust you again?”

“This is not about trust. This is logic,” Lexa replied, calm as ever. “Think about the opportunities that would be afforded to your people. The protection-”

“I think we’ve made it clear we don’t need your protection,” Clarke interrupted tiredly. The whole conversation was grating her nerves. “We’ll consider your offer. But just so you know, the clans might be facing something worse than the mountain eventually.”

Lexa looked between them in confusion. “How so?”

Clarke looked up at Bellamy, who nodded briskly. Steeling herself, she glanced back at Lexa. “What do you know about the City of Light?”

~~~~~~~~

Lexa kept her word; she didn’t stay long. Once they’d relayed what had happened to Jaha, worry had overtaken her features. “This is troubling. We have heard stories,” she murmured. “But we always thought they were just that. It never occurred to us that this was a real possibility.”

“We still don’t know if it is. But you should be prepared all the same,” Clarke replied.

She could see the Commander’s brain already working, already trying to think three steps ahead. It wasn’t much later that she and her group vanished into the trees the same way they’d come, significantly more urgent than before.

She sighed and turned her face into Bellamy’s jacket for a moment. “You okay?” He asked softly.

Taking a deep breath, she looked up and smiled. “I’m okay,” she said, and she meant it.

They picked up their pace as well, arriving back at Camp Jaha half a day earlier than expected. Clarke’s breath left her in a rush at the sight of the massive walls that enclosed the camp. Even from here, she could hear the sounds of life from within. Her heart felt like it could burst out of her chest and float away. 

“Bellamy,” she whispered in awe. Smiling, he set her down and kissed her cheek, knowing she wanted to walk the remainder of the way. Being Bellamy, he also sensed her nerves as they neared, stroking her shoulder in comfort. When the gate swung open, she was rooted to the spot, her eyes trying to take in everything at once. She only managed to stare at the bustling camp for a few moments, jaw hanging open, before she was nearly tackled in a hug. Only Bellamy’s hand on her lower back kept her from stumbling to the ground.

“I knew he’d bring you back,” Monty declared in her ear, and then she was laughing, returning his embrace tightly. Over his shoulder, she saw others begin to notice them, heard someone’s rushed order to go find Abby.

But everything faded when she saw Jasper halted a few feet away, alternately hopeful and uncertain. Monty felt her tense and drew back, following her gaze. She was still trying to find the right words when Jasper finally closed the gap between them and put his arms around her. 

“I’m glad you aren’t dead,” he mumbled, and though Clarke knew she was far from absolved, she let herself clutch him a little fiercely anyways, reassured by how he was holding her just the same.

She’d just sniffed and pulled back when a loud voice sounded behind her. “You know, if you were trying to get yourself a kickass brace to match mine, you didn’t succeed.”

Clarke turned in time to see Raven’s bright smile, right as the man behind her said, “I still say mine had its perks.” 

Raven ignored him and grabbed her swiftly. “Can’t stay out of trouble, can you, “ she muttered, and a few tears dripped down Clarke’s cheeks despite her efforts to hold them in.

Most of the day proceeded in that manner, though it took a lot of convincing not to let her mother give her a full-body exam right then and there. Jaha’s current state served as a prominent distraction, enough for Bellamy to slip her out the side door and give her a “grand tour” as he called it. 

“Wait, I want Emori to see this too,” she insisted.

But he only grinned and pointed a finger across camp to where two figures strolled together. “I think Murphy’s taking care of that.”

~~~~~~~~

Nearly a week later, a thunderstorm roared its way through camp, wind lashing every which way and rain pouring without mercy. Despite Clarke’s many vehement protests, Bellamy sat her down in a small cabin next to Emori and pointedly instructed her not to move, before running back outside to help the others.

She and Emori took one look at each other and arched matching eyebrows. _As if._

They snuck out and went the opposite way, herding along those who were coming in from the smaller gates, ensuring people got to medical or inside the larger cabins that were serving as proper shelters. When the pain in her leg began to protest a little too much, she made her way back - but not to her quarters.

It had been six days since they returned, and in that time, she hadn’t had a single moment alone with Bellamy. The nights had been occupied by Raven and Emori and Monty, sometimes even Jasper - not that she was complaining at all. She welcomed it wholeheartedly. She’d missed her family all too much. So she sat up with them long into the dark, sometimes talking but mostly just listening to their stories. They had no shortage of them, and she devoured every one, beyond happy to hear of her friends slowly rebuilding their lives. 

Each night, by the time she managed to crawl to Bellamy’s tent - or him to hers - they were too exhausted to do much else besides sleep. And when they awoke in the morning, she had only a few moments to study him or be lost in soft kisses before the demands of the day called to them.

But right now, with the storm raging on outside and everyone occupied, she decided they had both waited long enough. 

She was seated cross-legged on Bellamy’s cot when he strode in, shaking water from his hair. Like her, he was soaked to the bone. His gun nearly came up on instinct as he realized the cabin wasn’t empty.

“Clarke?” He relaxed instantly. “I thought I told you to stay with Emori.”

She shrugged. “You did. Then we left.”

“Damnit, Clarke. You could have hurt yourself, you know that?” He sighed, dropping his rifle. “Your leg isn’t the same as it used to be. And it won’t be for a while. You have to be careful.”

“I _am._ What I don’t need is for you to give me orders.”

He rolled his eyes, peeling off his sopping jacket. Her eyes dropped to the shirt that currently clung to him like a second skin, molding to his muscular torso in way that made her heart speed up. “You know I didn’t mean to,” he said. “I was just worried.” 

“I know.” Clarke wasn’t even really mad at him. It was hard to be, when he said things like that with his voice all low and quiet and caring.

Bellamy didn’t seem to hear her. “Look, I’m not really in the mood to argue right now,” he warned.

“I didn’t come here to argue,” she replied.

That made him stop. Bellamy turned and caught her staring. His curls were plastered to his forehead, little drops of water cascading down his face and over the slope of his neck before disappearing under his shirt. Clarke wanted nothing more than to follow the trail of each and every one with her mouth. His eyes lingered on her, over the color that was spreading rapidly across her face and chest; over the shirt that was doing little to hide how much she wanted him. Badly. 

“Clarke,” he rasped.

She held out shaking arms and he was there in two long strides, fitting their mouths together as he pressed her down against the pillow. She groaned and splayed her hands over his back, urging him closer, wanting to feel all his weight atop her. Their lips slanted together warmly, eagerly, and she couldn’t help the sounds that kept emerging from her throat, unheard by anyone but him as rain pattered on the roof of the cabin.

Bellamy only tore his mouth away to suck kisses down her neck and shoulders, nudging aside the wet fabric of her shirt as his hands tangled into her hair. “Bellamy,” she sighed and lifted his head up again for another kiss, desperately shoving at his shirt until he finally pulled back to remove it before doing the same to hers. 

But then he paused suddenly, just staring at her. Clarke leaned up, trying to pull him back and frowning when he didn’t budge. 

“Wait,” he whispered. He framed her face between his large hands, resting his forehead against hers. “Clarke, before we do this, I need to know… I need to know you’re not going to leave again.”

Her hands closed over his wrists and she pressed a kiss to his palm. “I go where you go,” she promised.

Bellamy smiled and crushed his mouth to hers again. 

It rained the rest of the night. Not that she noticed. She wouldn’t have been able to remember the color of the sky if anyone had asked, too busy being distracted by how Bellamy mapped every inch of her body like she was some brand-new terrain to be explored. When his large calloused hands lingered at her chest, she let out a choked off moan in the form of his name, prompting him to lower his head to join them until she was shaking. She gave him the same the same deliberate attention, determined to put her mouth to every scar old and new, silently apologizing for those she’d missed and promising she’d be there for the rest. 

When their bodies joined together, skin to skin and nothing in between, there was a fresh wetness on her cheeks. She tried to brush it off as rainwater, but as usual Bellamy saw right through her and kissed the corner of her eyes, gentle and sweet. He dotted kisses over her brow, on the tip of her nose, the corners of her lips, until they finally curled in a smile to match his.

~~~~~~~~

The next morning, Clarke yawned hugely as she tried to climb back into her jeans. When she nearly tripped over herself for the third time, Bellamy laughed at her from where he was still tangled in the blankets. The glare she tossed over her shoulder had decidedly less force than usual, on account of the gigantic grin plastered to her face.

“You know,” she suggested, fighting another yawn, “you should really just give my cabin to someone who needs it.”

There was silence for a long moment, and she paused in buttoning her jeans when she realized it had been a full minute without a reply. Swallowing nervously, Clarke turned to backtrack her words and instead found herself swept into his arms. The kiss was dizzying. Bellamy dragged her back to the cot without a word, his hands and lips telling her just how in favor he was of her suggestion.

She was decidedly later than usual when she finally showed up at medical, praying her thoughts weren’t stamped across her face. She lasted all of an hour until Raven showed up towing a bleeding Wick behind her, then paused mid-scolding to give Clarke a onceover. A sly smile spread across her face. 

Clarke sent her a warning glance, then turned to examine Wick. It was quiet while she cleaned and taped up the cut on his forehead. Despite her best efforts, a yawn slipped out as she finished.

“Didn’t get much sleep, Clarke?” Raven asked, far too devious.

She narrowed her eyes but didn’t reply. Bellamy chose that moment to enter the room. Her back was to the entrance, but she knew, in the way that her body was just attuned to him by that point. Still, she made herself focus, ignoring the tickle on the back of her neck and how badly her lips were tugging up at the corners.

Wick was smart enough to keep his mouth shut as she handed him a few extra strips of cloth. “Change this once a day for four days. After that you should be set. If you have any dizziness or nausea, come back,” she instructed.

“You get on Reyes’ bad side again, Wick?” Bellamy slung an arm over Clarke’s shoulders and pecked her cheek. “Hi.”

“ _Hi_ Bellamy,” Raven cut in, a little too gleeful. “So nice to see you again. And no, one of the devices malfunctioned and this idiot was too close. Despite my repeated warnings.”

“Mhm.” Bellamy tapped Wick’s knee. “Try to stay upright, man. I don’t need Raven to be in a bad mood all day or I’ll never get those extra radios.” When Raven glared, Clarke coughed to hide her laugh. Bellamy stared right back, nonchalant. 

Then Raven arched an eyebrow at Clarke. “Maybe next time you decide to go on a sabbatical, or whatever the hell that was, you can take him along? I’d prefer to not have to deal with his moping again.”

She flushed and peeked up at Bellamy, who was swallowing and not meeting her eyes a single bit. In apology, she slipped her arm around his waist and pressed her lips to his shoulder.

“Oh please,” Wick interrupted, “like _you_ were so peachy keen to be around.”

“Then why are you still here?” Raven shot back.

“You really want to look under that rock?”

Raven blinked, a flash of _something_ almost kind, then poked Clarke’s arm. “We’re surrounded by idiots. Good luck with _your_ handful.” Sighing, she hauled Wick to his feet. “Let’s go engineer, you’re not off the hook yet.” Wick ambled after her with a knowing grin as she marched from the room.

Clarke chuckled, then looked back at Bellamy, only to find his gaze far across the room on the cot where the Chancellor slept, like he’d been doing the past few days. “How is he?” He asked.

“No change. Mom’s been monitoring him. She thinks it might be some twisted withdrawal or something. But I’m not sure it’s that simple.”

“Nothing ever is,” he murmured, weariness creeping into his voice.

Clarke leaned up and softly pressed her lips to his cheek, lingering. “I can think of one thing.”

Bellamy glanced down in surprise, then smiled, his eyes crinkling. 

~~~~~~~~

Emori found her that night up on the wall, having finally shooed Miller off to eat a proper meal while she took his place for the evening watch. Clarke smiled as the other girl hopped up to her level with ease, her limp all but gone.

“Looks like your leg’s good as new,” she commented.

“I could say the same for you,” Emori replied. “I am surprised Bellamy is not by your side. You two have been inseparable as of late.”

“He’s with the guards. Preparing them for tomorrow’s trip since he’s not going along.” She glanced sidelong at the other girl. “Murphy’s with him too.” Emori smiled but didn’t answer. Clarke nudged her. “So how are you liking the camp?” 

“It is impressive. Truly. Clearly we should not underestimate Skaikru.” 

“Don’t say that too much. Bellamy’s ego doesn’t need any more inflating at the moment.” She’d done enough of that on her own the previous night; not that she regretted it a single damn bit.

Her friend chuckled and nodded, then quirked her head to the side. “And you, Clarke? Is your home as you expected?”

Clarke sighed. “No, it’s not.” Then she smiled happily. “It’s better.” Her eyes wandered over the camp below before turning back to the land beyond the wall’s edges. “I’m so proud of everyone. They really built something here.”

“You sound surprised.” Emori’s voice was quiet and thoughtful, but not accusing.

“I don’t mean to be. It’s just… after everything that happened, I was afraid they’d never be able to move on. I was afraid _I_ wouldn’t move on.” She shrugged, picking at a splinter in the wood. “But they’re doing well. And they deserve to.”

“So do you, you know.”

Bellamy’s voice made her whirl around in surprise, a hand flying to the gun at her hip before she sighed and relaxed. “Jesus, Bellamy,” she scolded. “Have you been taking lessons from Emori or something?” 

They both grinned at that. Bellamy strode the last few steps to join them, looking at Emori first. “Murphy said you skipped dinner. You know that’s necessary,” he scolded lightly. “We have plenty for everyone, especially after the last hunt.”

But the girl shook her head, surprising him. “I did not intend to skip the meal. I was… I was waiting for John. He has not eaten, either.”

That made his eyes soften in understanding. “Well he seems to think you skipped, so he’s off to your cabin with a large plate of food. I’m pretty sure he took double servings of everything.”

“In that case, I will go join him.” Emori leaned over to grasp Clarke’s hand for a moment. “Tomorrow perhaps you and I can venture out? It’s been a while since I checked your aim.” 

Smiling, Clarke nodded. “I’d like that.” She watched her head back into the camp as Bellamy settled into place next to her. His fingers wove with hers. “I think she likes it here,” she said softly.

“She’s taken to it pretty quickly,” he agreed. “You should have seen her on the patrol the other day with Murphy. You were right about her and those daggers. She's ridiculously fast. I think half the guards are in love with her already.”

“Only half?” Clarke teased. “Does that include you?”

He tipped her chin up for a soft kiss. “Nah. My heart hasn’t been mine for a long time.”

She smiled against his lips. “Mine either,” she admitted softly.

Bellamy pulled her close and she sank into his arms, knowing it was the only place she wanted to be. He held her for a long time, his cheek laying atop her hair, his hands stroking patterns along her back, until she sighed, loud and content.

“Uh oh.” Bellamy’s teasing voice made her lift her eyes. “I know what that sigh means. What’s going on in that head of yours, princess?”

She grinned. “I just… I never thought it’d be possible to feel like this again.”

“How’s that?”

“Like…” she traced absent circles on his palm. “Like I belong. Like it’s okay to be… happy. No, that’s not the right word.” At his curious glance, she added, “I mean, I know we have things to deal with still, what with Jaha and the camp and this being the ground, so I don’t think _happy_ is possible, not really, but…” She shrugged. “I don’t know. I just feel more at ease than I have in a long time.”

He touched his lips to her forehead for a long moment. “Maybe we can create our own kind of happy,” he murmured softly.

Clarke smiled up at him. “I’d like that.”


End file.
